News/Press

European conference: Achieving disability rights at regional and local level

The representatives from EU-25 local and regional authorities, together with the leaders of the European disability movement debate on how to ensure effective participation of 50 million disabled people in EU policy-making 6 and 7 November 2006 (starting at 9H00)

Committee of Regions
Rue Belliard, 101 (1040 Brussels)
Within the current discussions about enhancing EU citizen participation in the economic and political process, the European Disability Forum and its partners (the disability national councils from Sweden (HSO) and the Netherlands (VGPN), the Council of European Municipalities and Regions) present the results of a 2-year project undertaken in 8 EU Member States to assess disability mainstreaming at regional and local level.

The project, funded by the European Commission, has been run in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

During two days, the floor will be given to the main actors of this important European debate on citizen participation and respect of human rights. A project final report will be presented by the end of November 2006.

Guest speakers include:
Bengt Lindqvist, former United Nations Rapporteur on Standard Rules
Jantine Kriens, Deputy Mayor of the City of Rotterdam
Aivars Lacarus, Mayor of Talsi (Latvia)
Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum

For more information and general press queries contact: Helena González-Sancho Bodero, EDF Communication and Press Officer: Tel: +32-2-282.46.04 E-mail: communication@edf-feph.org